The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatuses for treating migraine headaches and related maladies. An embodiment of the method generally comprises the filtering of a portion of ambient light transmitted into the eye of a patient.
Migraine headaches are a very common disorder that afflicts numerous people on a regular basis. A migraine headache has been defined in the art, generally, as an episodic headache lasting a finite time, in the range of a small amount of time to days. The small amount of time could be minutes to a few hours. These episodic headaches are often, but not always, associated with an aura followed by gastrointestinal discomfort, dizziness, pulsatile pain, increased pain through normal physical activity, photophobia, phonophobia and/or visual disturbances. It is common that the discomfort and disturbance is of such a nature and frequencies so as to adversely affect the afflicted individual""s lifestyle.
As used herein, the following terms mean and refer to the definitions given. The term xe2x80x9cpatientxe2x80x9d means and refers to an individual afflicted with a migraine headache. The term xe2x80x9cmigraine headachexe2x80x9d means and refers to an episodic headaches are often, but not always, associated with gastrointestinal discomfort, dizziness, pulsatile pain, increased pain through normal physical activity, photophobia, phonophobia and/or visual disturbances. The term xe2x80x9cmaladiesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmaladyxe2x80x9d means and refers to premenstrual syndrome, stress, and other related types of maladies, including migraine headaches. The term xe2x80x9cfilterxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cfilteringxe2x80x9d means and refers to filtering, interfering, shading, at least partially blocking and the like.
In response to such suffering the art field has developed numerous treatments that have proven effective if applied at the appropriate time. These treatments range from drugs to the application of various devices. However, none of the prior art methods for treating migraine headaches have taught or disclosed the treatment of a migraine headache through the filtering of a portion of a portion of light transmitted to the eye of a patient without the use of an auxiliary light source.
Numerous prior art methods treat migraine headaches through the administration of a drug or combination of drugs. Such prior art methods can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,129 to Mauskop, U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,959 to Mauskop, U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,279 to Zoc et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,643 to Sanger et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,125 to Herrling et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,759 to Simmons, U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,784 to Hammarberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,638 to Myers, U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,539 to Plachetka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,884 to Theoharides, U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,526 to Hargreaves, U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,218 to Brucker et al., and others. These aforementioned patents involve the treatment of a migraine headache through the administration of a pharmaceutical compound to a patient. However, such treatments do involve the ingestion of various drugs that can have negative effects in some patients. Accordingly, the art field is in search of a method for treating migraine headaches without the ingestion of drugs through the modification of a light transmitted to the eye.
The art field has developed several methods for treating a migraine headache without the ingestion of drugs. Examples of such applications are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,150 to Boyd (the ""150 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,656 to Boyd, Sr. (the ""656 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,526 to Liss et al. (the ""526 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,521 to Barry (the ""521 patent), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,758 to Vijayam (the ""758 patent). While these patents are directed towards treatments and preventative measures for migraine headaches, the treatment methods are not very convenient nor readily available in all cases.
The ""150 patent and the ""656 patent treat migraine headaches by attempting to prevent its occurrence through the prevention of chronic tension. These patents prevent chronic tension by the patient wearing an intra-oral device. The device is worn by a patient about the maxillary incisors such that a patient may not clench their teeth. The device is designed to be worn by a patient at all times, but is removable for eating. However, such a device can prove an irritant because it must always be worn. Additionally, the device is only effective in preventing migraine headaches that are caused by chronic tension and may not be effective in preventing migraine headaches caused by other factors. Accordingly, the art field is in search of a method of treating a migraine headache that does not require the wearing of an intrusive and uncomfortable device and a method that has a greater effect on the treatment of various migraine headaches.
The ""758 patent teaches and discloses the use of an elastic band worn about the head of a patient to compress dilated blood vessels in order to provide relief of migraine headache pain. Rubber disks may be inserted between the band and the scalp to provide a more localized pressure over areas with a more severe pain. However, the wearing of such a device may be both uncomfortable and inconvenient. Additionally, the constricting of blood flow in the areas about the head may be dangerous if used by a patient without medical supervision. Accordingly, the art field is in search of a method of treating a migraine headache that does not require the restriction of blood flow through a self-applied elastic band.
The ""521 patent and the ""526 patent disclose a migraine and headache relief apparatus that relieves through the application of electric pulses. However, the use of electric pulses to an area about the cranium of a patient may be dangerous unless performed under the supervision of a doctor and such treatment may be too evasive for some patients. Accordingly, the art filed is in search of a method of treating migraine headaches without the use of electric pulses about the cranium of a patient.
Other prior art methods of treating migraine headaches and related maladies have concentrated on the pulsating of a laser light to the afflicted areas. Such prior art examples are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,168 to Friedman (the ""168 patent) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,978 to Wong (the ""978 patent). However, both of these patents may not be entirely effective and require the availability of a laser light system for use.
The ""168 patent discloses and teaches the application of a low power laser light to an intra-oral zone of tenderness often encountered in migraine headaches. However, not all migraine headaches produce an intra-oral zone of tenderness. Therefore the art field is in search of a method of treating a migraine headache that can treat a wider variety of migraine headaches and not just those caused by tension. Further, the art field is in search of a method of treating a migraine headache that does not require application of a laser light.
The ""978 patent is directed more broadly to the treatment of a variety of muscular pains. A probe is laced in proximity to a pain, such as a muscular pain from a migraine headache, and low pulses of a laser are transmitted to the muscle. However, this method requires the availability of a laser system and may be too evasive for some patients. Therefore, the art field is in search of a method of treating a migraine headache that does not require a laser.
The prior art has used various optical devices to treat color blindness and related maladies, but not to relieve a migraine headache. Examples of such devices and methods are U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,423 to Zeltzer (the ""423 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,590 to Zeltzer (the ""590 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,819 to Taylor (the ""819 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,894 to Buser et al. (the ""894 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,817 to Zeltzer (the ""894 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,152 to Reed, III (the ""152 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,278 to Christman (the ""278 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,154 to Hoffman (the ""154 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,202 to Abraham et al. (the ""204 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,457 to Hoffman (the ""457 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,712 to Harris (the ""712 patent), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,044 to Sternbergh (the ""044 patent). However, these patents do not teach or suggest the modification of a light source transmitted to an eye for the treatment of a migraine headache.
Some prior art patents have taught that pulsating light into the eye of a patient suffering from a migraine headache may offer relief. Examples of such patents are U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,669 to Anderson (the ""669 patent). The ""669 patent discloses the flashing of a light into the eyes of a patient wearing goggles designed to filter all light transmittance. The ""669 patent teaches that it is necessary to filter all ambient light entering the eye of a patient. Preferred embodiments of the ""669 patent flash alternating lights into closed eyes of a patient in the range of 0.5 to 50 Hz with a brightness, or intensity, not to exceed 2000 millicandela. The goggles of the ""669 patent resemble swimmers goggles, but are different in that the plates over each eye are opaque with a an LED (light emitting diode) on each plate. The LED""s are powered by electrical signals carried in wires from a control box. Flashes of light are then sent to the a patient wearing the goggles for between 5 to 60 minutes. However, the ""669 patent does not teach or suggest the modification of a light source to the eye of a patient without filtering the transmittance of ambient light to the eye of a patient. Further, the ""669 patent does not tech or suggest the filtering of a portion of ambient light transmittance to the eye of a patient suffering from a migraine headache for relief of the migraine headache.
The present invention generally relates to the treatment of a patient suffering from a migraine headache and related maladies. The treatment generally comprises the filtering of a portion of ambient light transmittance to the eye of a patient for relief of symptoms.
This summary is not intended to be a limitation with respect to the features of the invention as claimed, and this and other objects can be more readily observed and understood in the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the claims.